News — granola

The weather in Michigan this Labor Day weekend has actually felt like the beginning of fall, and I can't think of a better ingredient to bake with than apples this time of year.  Apples and cinnamon are the perfect precursor to heavier pumpkin flavors later in the fall.  Apples are light and crisp and bake well.   I always like to use granola in crisp topping recipes in place of oats, and for apple crisp I used left over cinnamon raisin granola with the raisins pulled out.  Pumpkin pie spice or cranberry orange would also be good choices for the crisp...

If you're looking for a somewhat healthy breakfast muffin, try these carrot granola muffins.  I've been developing a bad habit of eating double chocolate muffins for breakfast (which is basically just eating a chocolate cupcake), so I thought I would shake things up a bit and try something that's still sweet, but at least has some redeeming nutritional qualities.  The shredded carrots add a ton of moisture (there's nothing worse than biting into a dry muffin) and the small amount of cinnamon goes a surprisingly long way in terms of flavor.  I added cinnamon raisin granola, pumpkin seeds and raisins, but you...

I eat a lot of yogurt and granola.  At home, it's a simple breakfast I can throw together with whatever fruit, yogurt and granola I happen to have on hand.  Transporting this quick breakfast to work, on the other hand, can be another story.  There's never enough room in the little cups of yogurt to add granola in, and I never remember to bring a handful of fresh fruit it.  The solution: parfaits in a jar!  My jam maker friend opened up a whole new world to me when she explained to me how she makes yogurt and jam parfaits...

In the Midwest (and maybe all over the country), you can enjoy breakfast for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  I think everyone has a special childhood memory of the excitement that came along with being allowed to eat pancakes with maple syrup for dinner some evenings.  In reality, our parents were probably exhausted and couldn't come up with something more creative for dinner that night, but every kid felt like they were getting away with something.  Throughout the Midwest everyone has a favorite breakfast spot, whether it's the Golden Nugget or trendy brunch spot in Chicago, a classic diner like The Fleetwood...

One of my favorite fall flavors is cranberry, and I especially love adding cloves and citrus to anything baked with cranberries.  This dessert is perfect for Thanksgiving, or anytime during the brisk months of fall in the Midwest, combining fresh apples with tart cranberries and a pop of fresh citrus.  You can use pears in place of the apples, too!  The cloves add warmth and comfort and your kitchen will smell like you're making fresh cranberry sauce while this dessert is baking in the oven. What I Used:For the Filling: 3 or 4 baking apples (Granny Smith or Honey Crisp), unpeeled...